Local Business Notes: Cars, insurance, banks and now, coins, for Green Family

By Tim LandisBusiness Editor

Saturday

Feb 15, 2014 at 9:30 PM

Todd Green has added coins and precious metals to his auto, insurance, banking and building-restoration businesses in Springfield.

Acquisition of THE GOLD CENTER, Green said last week, resulted from a friendship with Jim Hausman, who has owned the rare coin, metal refining and collectibles business for 38 years. The center is at 3000 W. Iles Ave.

In a statement released with the sale announcement, Hausman said last week an injury two years ago has forced him to step back, though he will remain as president and partial owner.

Green said he also considered the shop a good investment in uncertain economic times.

“I believe with the way things are working, the deficits and with the problems in Illinois, people are going to protect themselves (by buying gold),” Green said.

The Gold Center is an official distributor of American Silver Eagles, and gold and platinum Eagles for the U.S. Mint.

Green said he and Hausman began discussions about a year-and-a-half ago and finally settled on a stock purchase by Green.

“Jim will still be involved every day,” Green said. “We’re looking to expand.”

The Gold Center is a separate company from Green Family Stores, which operates 12 auto dealerships. Green Family Insurance also is a separate company, and Todd Green is a majority stockholder in Premier Bank of Jacksonville.

In June, Green purchased the St. George Building, 300 E. Monroe St., at a bankruptcy auction for $37,000.

Green said plans are for retail-office space on the ground level of the three-story building, and three to six apartments on the upper floors.

“We have it completely stripped out,” he said, “and we’re ready to start work on the inside.”

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The village of Chatham has approved a liquor license for a converted carwash at the BP convenience store in Chatham.

Owners are working on renovation of the building at Main and Walnut streets, Village President Tom Gray said last week.

The village board recently turned down, however, a proposal for a video-gaming outlet in a former cleaners building at the same intersection.

“The board felt it didn’t fit with the community,” Gray said.

Several bars and restaurants in Chatham offer video gambling.

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A sign of the social media times in the insurance industry: HORACE MANN EDUCATORS CORP. has moved to the top of Pinterest rankings for insurance companies.

According to the local insurer, the company has more than 4,400 followers on the social media network. Company officials said numbers increased through a “12 Days of Gifting” contest that awarded educational resource prizes and personal gifts to educators who followed the Pinterest page. Horace Mann had 2,000 Pinterest followers at the start of the contest.

A commercial development is in the works at Veterans Parkway and Iles Avenue, just north of White Oaks Mall.

Plans for WHITE OAKS COMMONS filed with the Springfield-Sangamon County Regional Planning Commission indicate the 3.6-acre development would be targeted to a retail outlet and two restaurants, pending city approval.

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Improvements are coming to Business Interstate 55 north of Sherman. The Springfield Area Transportation Study committee has recommended $1.8 million be reclassified as “advanced construction” funds for repaving of Business 55 from Andrew Road to the I-55 merge ramp.

The work also includes turns lanes to Sudduth Road. The funds are included in the three-year transportation schedule. The SATS committee is among the first stops for local transportation projects.

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DOLLAR GENERAL continues to add stores in the Springfield region. The newest outlet opened Saturday at 3045 State Highway (Illinois 4) in Waverly. The Waverly store brings the total in the area to about two dozen, including seven stores in Springfield, according to the company website.

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